


Breaking Boundaries

by Wordprism



Category: X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-08
Updated: 2014-05-08
Packaged: 2018-01-23 23:30:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1583387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wordprism/pseuds/Wordprism





	Breaking Boundaries

The revolutionist’s lips press tighter together in thought as light swims through the ajar door.   His hooded mask is pulled back, unfurled on the tightened shoulders that are his own.  The man’s eyes spark red behind his lenses that barely contain him, for surely the stress he endures has no trouble radiating from his body with each and every breath he takes.

He leads a team alongside two of his fellow rebels.  They lead a life on the run now, one defined solely by misunderstanding.   At his left hand is the woman in white who conformed to black, who conformed from villain to trusted fighter and teacher.  She had also been a lover, but there were too many has-beens that the man hesitated to embrace.  At his right hand, is the listener.  She barely says a word, proving courageous but shutting down the moment normalcy returns.  She knows the gates to Hell, something called Limbo, but to the revolutionary leader they are one in the same.  Darkness, monsters, it all means Hell.

Scott finds himself looking up from his seated position when the door swings open further.   He had planned to ask a favor involving a quick teleportation to stop a sentinel attack in Sacramento, but the expression on the blonde’s face is enough to change his mind.

“Yes?” Her voice is steady, unchanging, as if expecting to be asked for a favor.

“I-” Scott begins to speak, but the words refuse to bridge the gap between lips and air.  He pauses for a decent length of a moment before continuing.  He changes the course of tone and conversation.  “…How are you?”

The Russian woman is taken by surprise, although she doesn’t show it.   Scott can clearly see she has to search for the answer.  “Fine,” she states calmly.  Even she isn’t sure she meant that.

“Illyana,” Scott repeats, “I asked how you are.” 

It’s as if she forced herself not to feel.  With a silent demeanor, she takes a seat at a respectable distance.  “Is this going to be followed by coordinate requests?” is all she asks, much to the leader’s dismay.

“No, it wasn’t.”  Scott shakes his head in denial, his gaze shifting uncertainly from his lap, to the floor, to the door, and back to Illyana.  “I just thought I’d ask.”

“Who told you to?” she presses, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“Nobody.”

Her expression softens the slightest bit.

“You seem a bit… off… lately.  I was just wondering if there was anything I could do to-”

“Why? Not meeting standards, Leader of Mine?” Her tone sharpened as quickly as it had softened.

“I’m just… asking, for God’s sake, Illy-”

“Oh.  Well, if you really feel the need to know, I’m in a conflict with the demon lords in Limbo, but other than that, just swell.”  She gives a slight nod and finds her voice shifting and faltering in insecurity.

“Well I doubt I’ll be much help there, but if you ever need-”

“Scott, what are you trying with me?”

The red-eyed mutant stops abruptly and finds himself shaking his head.  He doesn’t even know.  He’s rather clueless, actually.  “I-… Guess I just wanted to apologize.”

“For?” Illyana questions with a hardened gaze.

“Something tells me sometimes you’d rather be running me through with that sword than the sentinels we’re up against.  I’m not wrong, am I…?”

Bluntly, she responds. “No, you aren’t.”

“Well, I guess I’ll try to be less of a control freak then,” Scott decides as he stands up onto both feet.  “In that case, I think you should just take a week off and get yourself resettled.  You could use a break, no?”

“Your blood pressure is gonna’ go through the roof without me to take half that burden away, Summers.  How are you even going to function without the MagikBus?”  She remains sitting, but her eyes follow.

“I’ll manage.  Don’t worry about it.  But what I do expect from you is not to come back for a week.”

The sorceress nods in characteristic obedience.

“Oh, and,” the mutant states back over his shoulder as he exits the room, “That’s an order.”

Even after he vanishes, the blonde can’t help but notice the slight smile on her lips she hasn’t felt in months.


End file.
